Source of Funds

Insured person: 2.5% of covered earnings.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 75,000 francs. (The legal minimum wage was last adjusted in 1994.)

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 4% of covered payroll.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 75,000 francs. (The legal minimum wage was last adjusted in 1994.)

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Contributions are paid monthly by employers with 20 or more employees or quarterly by employers with 1 to 19 employees.

Government: None; contributes as an employer for public-sector employees who are not civil servants.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Age 55 (age 50 if unable to work) with at least 15 years of contributions. Retirement from gainful employment is necessary.

Early pension: Paid from age 50.

Old-age allowance: Age 50 with at least 12 months' coverage but does not satisfy the qualifying conditions for the old-age pension.

Old-age benefits are not payable abroad.

Disability pension: The insured must be assessed with a loss of at least 2/3 of working or earning capacity, be ineligible for the early pension, and have at least 5 years of contributions (the contribution qualifying condition is waived for currently employed workers if the disability is the result of an accident).

The disability pension is not payable abroad.

Survivor pension: Paid if the deceased was a pensioner or in insured employment with at least 15 years of coverage at the time of death.

Eligible survivors are widow(er)s who were married to the deceased for at least a year and orphans younger than age 17 (age 21 if a student or an apprentice).

Funeral grant: Paid to an eligible survivor. In the absence of an eligible survivor, the grant is paid to the person who is responsible for the deceased's dependent children.

Survivor benefits are not payable abroad.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: The pension is equal to 2% of the insured's average earnings in the last 3 or 5 years (whichever is higher) times the number of years of coverage (some periods of incapacity are credited).

Source of Funds

Insured person: 2.5% of covered earnings for sickness benefits only (maternity cash benefits are financed under Family Allowances, below).

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 75,000 francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 4% of covered payroll for sickness benefits only (maternity cash benefits are financed under Family Allowances, below).

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 75,000 francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Contributions are paid monthly by employers with 20 or more employees or quarterly by employers with 1 to 19 employees.

Government: None; contributes as an employer for public-sector employees who are not civil servants.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness and medical benefits: The insured must have at least 3 months of insured employment with at least 18 days or 120 hours of work a month.

Cash maternity benefits: The woman must be in insured employment.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: The benefit is equal to 100% of the insured's average earnings in the last 3 months before the leave period starts (the labor code requires the employer to pay 50% of the cost). The benefit is paid after an 8-day waiting period for up to 13 weeks; may be extended to 26 weeks if the insured has at least 1 year of coverage with 250 days of employment in the last 12 months. (The labor code requires the employer to pay full wages during the waiting period.)

The maximum duration of benefits is 1 year for a permanent incapacity.

Maternity benefit: The benefit is equal to 100% of the insured's average earnings in the 3 months before the leave period starts (the labor code requires the employer to pay 50% of the cost). The benefit is paid for up to 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the expected date of childbirth; 10 weeks after childbirth for multiple births and up to 12 weeks after childbirth in case of complications.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Medical service benefits are provided by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists paid directly by the National Social Security Fund. Benefits include general, maternity, and specialist care; surgery; hospitalization for up to 2 years; medicines; appliances; laboratory services; and transportation.

Benefits are provided after an 8-day waiting period during which the employer and the insured must share the medical care costs equally.

Cost sharing: The National Social Security Fund reimburses 70% of the cost of medicine; 100% for treatments for cancer, cholera, smallpox, tetanus, and tuberculosis.

Dependents' Medical Benefits

Medical service benefits are provided by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists paid directly by the National Social Security Fund. Benefits include general, maternity, and specialist care; surgery; hospitalization for up to 2 years; medicines; appliances; laboratory services; and transportation.

Eligible dependents are the spouse and children younger than age 17 (age 21 if a student or disabled).

Benefits are provided after an 8-day waiting period during which the employer and the insured must share the medical care costs equally.

Cost sharing: The National Social Security Fund reimburses 70% of the cost of medicine; 100% for treatments for cancer, cholera, smallpox, tetanus, and tuberculosis.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Social Affairs, the Promotion of Women's Interests, and Childhood provides general supervision.

Managed by an administrative council, the National Social Security Fund administers the program.

Source of Funds

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 75,000 francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Contributions are paid monthly by employers with 20 or more employees or quarterly by employers with 1 to 19 employees.

Government: None; contributes as an employer for public-sector employees who are not civil servants.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period. Accidents that occur while commuting to and from work are covered.

Temporary Disability Benefits

The daily benefit is equal to 50% of the insured's average daily wage in the month before the disability began for the first 28 days; thereafter, 2/3 of the average daily wage. The benefit is paid from the day after the disability began until full recovery or certification of permanent disability.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: The widow(er) receives 30% of the deceased's average earnings in the last 12 months before the disability began. The surviving spouse must have been married to the deceased before the deceased became disabled. If there is more than one eligible widow, the pension is split equally among them.

Source of Funds

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 75,000 francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 400,000 francs.

Contributions are paid monthly by employers with 20 or more employees or quarterly by employers with 1 to 19 employees.

The employer contributions also finance cash maternity benefits under Sickness and Maternity.

Government: None; contributes as an employer for public-sector employees who are not civil servants.

Qualifying Conditions

Family allowances: The child must be younger than age 17. The parent must have at least 3 months of insured employment with at least 18 days or 120 hours of employment a month; a social insurance beneficiary.

Family Allowance Benefits

Family allowances: 1,500 francs a month is paid for each child, up to a maximum of 10 children.

Benefits are paid quarterly.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted periodically. (The last adjustment was made in 1992.)

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Social Affairs, the Promotion of Women's Interests, and Childhood provides general supervision.

Managed by an administrative council, the National Social Security Fund administers the program.